These no-bake bars come together quickly with common pantry ingredients. Make sure the cereal is well crushed (try packing it in a sealed zip-top plastic bag and using a rolling pin) so it incorporates into the peanut butter mixture.

You'll love these Chocolate-Mint Bars if you're a big fan of the thin chocolate-mint Girl Scout cookies or Andes candies. Refrigerating the bars allows the mint layer and glaze to set properly. For a more grown-up taste, you can substitute dark chocolate chips for some or all of the semisweet chocolate chips in the glaze.

These bar cookies are also known as seven-layer bars. They can create a sticky mess in the pan, so it's crucial to line it with parchment paper. Because the milk needs to seep into the graham cracker crumbs, don't pack the crumbs too tightly in the bottom of the pan. Kids will enjoy helping you build the layers for these quick and easy bars.

For these classic bar cookies, we wanted just enough salt to heighten the flavor, so we opted for unsalted butter. Browning the butter deepens its flavor and, when combined with brown sugar, creates the butterscotch taste. Store unrefrigerated in an airtight container up to three days, or freeze for three months.

These offer a great homemade alternative to store-bought cereal bars. The butter contributes to the golden crust of the dense, moist, fruit-studded treats. You can use walnuts instead of pecans, or substitute raisins for the dates.

We loved this creative take on the traditional Rice Krispies bar. Green pumpkinseeds are also sometimes sold as pepitas. In humid weather, cool the bars in the refrigerator to keep them from becoming too sticky.

Moist and chewy, these date-filled bars make a satisfying afternoon snack or a nice treat to bring into the office. They travel well, since you can let them cool in the baking pan and carry them. Or, for a prettier package, place them in a cookie tin divided by sheets of parchment paper.

The tartness of lemon counters the rich sweetness of coconut in a light-as-air bar cookie with a flaky crust. A bit of almond extract adds body and complexity, but if you don't have it in your pantry, don't fret. No one will miss it.

Rhubarb, which looks like crimson celery, has a short season, so stock up while you can. It freezes beautifully; just store the stalks in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb for this recipe. We actually preferred unthawed frozen rhubarb.